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Reprinted, after Revision, from 

"THE MILITARY ORDER OF CONGRESS 

MEDAL OF HONOR 

LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES," 

By kind permission of the author. Major-General Mulholland 



A SHORT STORY 



OF THE 



FIRST DAY'S FIGHT 



AT 



GETTYSBURG 



BY 



H. S. HUIDEKOPER 



One-time Colonel 150th P. V., Major-General N. G. P.. Retired 



PHILADELPHIA 
BICKING PRINT. TENTH AND MARKET 

1906 



^ 



Gift 



rf 



a '03 



Compliments of 




The First Day's Fight at Gettysburg* 



On June 28, 1863, the Army of the Potomac, which had 
been molded, by the skill of Hooker, into as fine a fighting 
machine of its size as the world has ever seen, was turned over, 
in Maryland, to General Meade. Its duty at that juncture, was 
to force Lee, with his large and confident array, to turn back 
from Pennsylvania, which he had reached through the Shenan- 
doah and the Cumberland Valleys, in the round-about way he 
had chosen for his attack upon Philadelphia, and then upon Bal- 
timore and Washington. 

Hooker had spread his army out in the shape of a fan when 
he moved it from Virginia into Maryland, but the disposition of 
the seven corps was such that rapid concentration upon a central 
point would be possible, besides protection from inroads by the 
enemy. It had been Hooker's plan to interrupt L,ee's communi- 
cations by striking with force up the Potomac, and, for this 
purpose, Slocum had gone to Knoxville, Md., with his 12th 
Corps, which was to have been reinforced by French and his 
12,000 men at Harper's Ferry. General Halleck would not, 
however, allow this, and Hooker was relieved, at his own request, 
on June 28th, and the 12th Corps was moved to Taneytown. 

With this attack upon the communications in view, the passes 
of South Mountain had to be guarded, and so Major-General John 
F. Reynolds, of the ist Corps, was given the ist, the 3rd and the 
nth Corps and two brigades of Buford's division of cavalry to 
command, which force became known as the L,eft Wing, and 
Major-General Doubleday, of the 3rd Division, took command of 
the ist Corps. The Left Wing was moved northward close 
along the east side of South Mountain, while the 2nd, 5th and 
6th Corps (to be joined later by the 12th) bore off to the right, 
more in the direction of Harrisburg and Philadelphia. 

When Meade assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, 
he was fortunate in finding Reynolds thus in charge of the troops 
nearest the enemy, and where his great ability would likely be of 
the utmost assistance at an early moment. Meade and Reynolds 

I 



liad been warm friends ; they had, for two years, commanded 
brigades, divisions and corps, side by side, and those who were 
close to Meade and knew his diffidence, say that but for his trust 
in Reynolds, he would have avoided the great responsibility that 
was thrust upon him and which he was so unwilling to assume. 
Of Reynolds, Comte de Paris says, "undoubtedly, the most 
remarkable man among all the officers that the Army of the 
Potomac saw fall upon the field of battle during the four years 
of its experience." 

The day the advance of Hooker's army was crossing the 
Potomac, the advance of L,ee's army (Early's division of Ewell's 
corps) was some fifty miles northward, crossing the South Moun- 
tain range on its way east. On June 26th, Gordon's brigade of 
Early's division passed through Gettysburg, where it supplied 
itself with money, shoes and other necessaries, taken from citi- 
zens, while the other brigades of the division moved along roads 
to the north of Gettysburg. June 28th found Rodes's and John- 
son's divisions near Carlisle, and Early's division at Wrightsville, 
on th^ Susquehanna, which was the shorter route to Philadelphia. 
To prevent Early from crossing at Wrightsville, the 27th Penn- 
sylvania Emergency Regiment and the First City Troop of 
Philadelphia had offered gallant resistance, even to burning, at 
the last moment, the mile-long bridge at that point. 

And here it is not amiss to say that, in studying the Battle 
of Gettysburg, it must not be forgotten that a division of the 
Confederate Army equaled, in number of men, an array corps of 
Union troops. 

At this juncture, on June 28th, Lee was astounded on learn- 
ing that the alert and vigorous Hooker had already crossed the 
Potomac and was hurrying northward, and might interpose 
between Ewell's Infantry and Stuart's Cavalry, who were east 
of Gettysburg, and L,ongstreet's and Hill's corps which lay in 
the Cumberland Valley, across the South Mountain range, and 
tlius almost sixty miles apart ; and he sent couriers ordering 
Ewell back to Gettysburg, to which point he also directed Long- 
street and Hill to move. 

Except for the check at Wrightsville, on June 28th, there 
was no serious opposition to the movement of Lee's forces in 
Pennsylvania until the 30th, when Kilpatrick, at Hanover, Pa., 
administered a whipping to Stuart and his famous cavalry, and 

2 



drove them still farther away from Lee's army concentrating at 
Gettysburg, where cavalry was so badly needed. From Hanover 
Stuart pushed for Carlisle (thirty-five miles to the northwest), 
where he hoped to join Ewell. Ewell had, however, moved to 
Gettysburg ; and, after a slight encounter on July ist with some 
militia regiments and a battery, Stuart turned his tired horses 
towards Gettysburg, arriving there on July 3rd, just in time to 
try his fortunes with Gregg and his division of cavalry, at the 
hour Longstreet was watching his command make its famous 
assault upon the Union line. 

On June 30th, Buford's division of cavalry was advanced to 
Gettysburg, Reynold's ist Corps, under General Doubleday, was 
moved from its bivouac of the night before at Emmitsburg, 
which was close to the State line, into Pennsylvania, and the 
1 2th Corps also crossed the line, resting at Littlestown, which 
was not far from Hanover, Pa. Reynolds bad been directed to 
move to Gettysburg on the 30th, the day Buford was to reach 
there, and for this reconnoisance in force, the ist Corps had been 
selected, with orders to Howard's nth Corps to follow " in sup- 
porting distance," and to Sickles's 3rd Corps to go to Emmits- 
burg. The danger of Hill's troops getting into his rear from 
the west, decided Reynolds to halt the ist Corps for the night of 
the 3bth, at Marsh Creek, six miles from Gettysburg, and it was 
put into position there, with barricades hastily thrown up, and 
facing to the west, to repel any sudden attack. 

Then, at Taney town, Md., about fifteen miles from Gettys- 
burg, with two corps of infantry and two divisions of cavalry in 
Pennsylvania, General Meade issued the following circular : 

" Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

" Taneytown, Md., July 1st, 1863. 
"From information received, the commanding general is satisfied that the 
object of the movement of the army in this direction has been accomplished, viz., 
the relief of Harrisburg and the prevention of the enemy's invasion of Philadel- 
phia, beyond the Susquehanna. It is no longer his intention to assume the offen- 
sive. * * » If the enemy attack, it is his intention to withdraw the army from 
its present position, and form line of battle * * * the general direction being 
that of Pipe Creek. For this purpose General Keynolds will withdraw from Get- 
tysburg and cross Pipe Creek. The time for falling back can be determined by 
circumstances." 

All the above is part of the history of the First Day's Fight, 
or at least must be told for a proper understanding of the situa- 
tion, when Reynolds, at nine o'clock on July ist, found John 
Buford gallantly opposing the advance of Lee's army, which was 

3 



concentrating at Gettysburg for the overthrow of its long-time 
opponent, and when, at ten o'clock, in coming to Buford's aid 
with infantry, he thus forced the issue, in sounds that were to be 
heard all over the world, although he himself was to fall and be 
forever lost to his country. 

General Reynolds, with his staff, left Marsh Creek early in 
the morning, having first directed Wadsworth's First Division of 
the ist Corps to follow him after their breakfast, and Robinson's 
Second Division and Rowley's Third Division to follow Wads- 
worth's, and Howard's nth Corps to follow the ist Corps. 
When Reynolds arrived at Gett5'sburg, he found Buford, with his 
2400 men, dismounted, obstinately resisting the advance of Hill's 
corps from the west, and soon after he sent an aide back to Gen- 
eral Meade to advise him of the impending battle, and to say 
that he feared the enemy would seize the heights back of the 
town before he could get troops up to prevent it, that the streets 
of the town would, however, be barricaded if necessary, and that 
the ground would be contested, inch by inch, if he had to 
retire. 

On the night of the 30th, Buford had his pickets extended 
for some three miles, Gamble's brigade on Willoughby Run 
facing west, with its right on the Chambersburg Pike,- and 
Devin's brigade extended from there, in an arc, to a point on 
Rock Creek north of the town, with Calif's battery placed in 
support. In this position Hill's infantry found them, when, at 
early day, it moved down the Chambersburg Pike for the occu- 
pation of Gettysburg, For two hours, Buford, with his two 
brigades and the battery, gallantly held the enemy in check, 
and when Wadsworth's division, at ten o'clock, came to his 
relief, his men were well-nigh overpowered. He then withdrew 
from the immediate front of Hill's corps, Gamble taking position 
south of the McPherSon Woods, near the Hagerstown Road, 
where he gave protection to the extreme left flank of the ist 
Corps for the remainder of the day, and Devin going to a point 
north of the town, where he met the advance of Ewell's corps, 
about noon, which he held in check for an hour or more, until 
the nth Corps was got into position. 

July ist opened clear to the ist Corps at Marsh Creek, but 
soon a drizzle came on and it became sultry beyond measure, 
and, to add to the discomfort, the supply wagons not having 

4 



come up, it was difficult for the men to make out a good break- 
fast. There seemed no haste about moving, but by eight o'clock 
the First Division was on its way to Gettysburg, and in half an 
hour the Third Division was started, to be followed shortly by 
the Second Division. The ist Division, under General Wads- 
worth, met General Reynolds about ten o'clock, near the field of 
battle, as he was riding back from. his conference with General 
Buford. Orders were then given to General Cutler to take 
position on Oak Ridge, o» the open fields near the railroad cut, 
and to General Meredith to move his Iron Brigade into the 
McPherson Woods and drive the enemy's sharpshooters back to 
Willoughby Run. General Reynolds placed himself at the head 
of Meredith's leading regiment, and advanced about fifty yards 
into the woods, when he received a bullet in his head and fell 
from his horse, dying almost instantly. This happened at quar- 
ter past ten o'clock. It is profitless to discuss what would or 
would not have been done had General Reynolds lived to direct 
the troops throughout the day. The fight was on, and the 
contest had to be continued. 

General Doubleday immediately took the place of General 
Reynolds in the direction of the First Division in the hour's 
fight it was to have with Archer's brigade at the west end of the 
woods, down about Willoughby Run, and with Davis's brigade 
on the open fields. The troops were vigorously and skillfully 
handled and fought with surpassing bravery, and as the result, 
there were left in Wadsworth's hands. Archer and a large part of 
his brigade and very many of Davis's men, and the enemy was 
driven back across Willoughby Run, where, for two hours, he 
rested, quietly waiting for reinforcements, and for the renewal of 
the contest in the afternoon. 

By virtue of seniority, Major-General Howard, of the nth 
Corps, succeeded to the command of the L,eft Wing, and, upon 
reaching the field, sent word to Sickles to move his 3rd Corps 
from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg, and to Doubleday to hold on 
to the position he had secured after his morning's fight, while he 
would, with the two divisions he had brought forward, look 
after Ewell on the right. Sickles had not, however, required 
Howard's order to march, for upon hearing the heavy firing in 
the early afternoon, had taken upon himself the responsibility of 
" moving to the sound of the cannon." Besides directing the 
movement of the 3rd Corps, Howard sent a request to General 

5 



Slocum at Two Taverns, to bring up the 12th Corps to his 
assistance. 

The Third Division was hardly on the road after its break- 
fast, before the boom of cannon was heard far out in its front, 
and fugitives appeared driving before them cattle and horses, 
which quickened the men in their gait. Two miles from the 
town, a staff officer appeared, who urged greater speed, and, 
from then on, the double-quick was taken as often as the oppres- 
sive atmosphere would permit. To shorten the distance to the 
musketry soon heard, the troops left the Emmitsburg Road a 
little south of the Cordori House, and after passing over Seminary 
Ridge, found General Doubleday in front of the woods west of 
the Seminary, where he told them of the death of General Rey- 
nolds, and begged for good soldierly conduct on their part in the 
battle about to be renewed. 

General Doubleday had taken position in front of the Semi- 
nary 'woods after he had directed the First Division in its hour's 
fight, that he might rectify and strengthen the thin line he was 
opposing to Hill's numerous troops the best he could with the 
two brigades of the Third Division, for he had determined to 
place the Second Division in reserve for an emergency that his 
large experience had taught him was likely to come. To rectify 
his line, Doubleday had drawn Meredith's brigade back from 
across Willoughby Run, where it had captured Archer, and had 
placed it in the woods, a position of some strength, and had 
withdrawn Cutler's brigade from the open fields about the rail- 
road cut, and placed it a few hundred yards to the immediate 
rear, on Seminary Ridge, where it, also, had the protection of 
woods. To strengthen the line with the approaching fresh 
troops, Rowley's Third Division was sent to the firing line, and 
Robinson's Second Division was designated as the reserve, and 
placed near the seminary. Rowley's Division was divided, Bid- 
die's brigade of Pennsylvania troops taking position on the open 
field south of the McPherson Woods in which the Iron Brigade 
was, and Stone's Bucktail Brigade (Pennsylvania troops), 
taking position north of the woods, to partially fill the gap 
between the Iron Brigade in the woods and Cutler's brigade in 
its new position on Seminary Ridge and north of the railroad 
cut. Two regiments of Stone's brigade were, accordingly, 
placed on the Chambersburg Pike, facing north, and the 150th 
P. V. was given the west line, on the top of the ridge, to hold, 

6 



as well as ckarged with the protection of the angle in front of 
the McPherson barn from assaults which might be made upon it 
either from the west or from the north. 

These dispositions had hardly been made, before Pegram's 
five batteries and Garnett and Mcintosh's eight batteries on the 
west of Willoughby Run, and Carter's four batteries on Oak Hill 
on the north, opened fire, and, for more than an hour, these 
instruments of death poured shot and shell upon every seen or 
imagined position of our men, until hardly a regiment escaped 
loss, and none annoyance. 

The unexpected appearance of the enemy on Oak Hill to 
the north, which proved to be the advance division of Ewell's 
corps, under Rodes, returning from the direction of Harrisburg, 
required that the Second Division, which had been placed in 
reserve, should go to the front to meet this new force, and so 
Doubleday sent Baxter's brigade northward on Seminary Ridge, 
beyond Cutler, to the Mumraasburg Road, and Paul's brigade 
took a position between Cutler and Baxter; this was about one 
o'clock. 

At this juncture, Howard's nth Corps was passing through 
the town to assist the ist Corps in its unequal contest. As 
Howard was coming up on the Kmmitsburg Road, his keen, 
practiced eye caught sight of Cemetery Hill, and this, he had 
sent Steinwehr and his division to occupy and fortify. He had 
directed the two other divisions to occupy Oak Hill, but as, on 
approaching, that was found to be in possession of the enemy, 
Howard was forced to take the plain north of the town, and in 
rear of Baxter and Paul, so that he might protect the ist Corps 
faced to the west, from attacks upon its rear by Early's division 
of Ewell's corps, which just then he saw coming up in force 
from the northeast. The position was an untenable one, but 
Howard skillfully placed his men the best he could, and for 
almost two hours persistently sustained an unequal and a hope- 
less fight, being finally, about half past three o'clock, forced 
back upon, and then through the town, to the position on 
Cemetery Hill he had so fortunately chosen for the reserve 
division under Sceiuwehr. In the two hours' fight, Howard's 
losses were heavy, one regiment, the 75th P. V., losing 63 per 
cent, of its men. Without protection, and without even hope of 
holding their ground, the two divisions had acquitted themselves 

7 



with credit. Among the officers of the irth Corps wounded in 
the First Day's Fight, were General Barlow, Colonels Lockwood 
and Robinson. 

Seeing Baxter approaching, Rodes lost no time in advancing 
four of his brigades. On the left was O'Neal's ; in the center 
Iverson's; on the right, Daniel's ; and, in support, Raraseur's. 
O'Neal struck Baxter on the flank, and fell back in great con- 
fusion. Iversou came to the assistance of O'Neal, by wheeling 
to the left and attacking Baxter on his front, but Paul and 
Cutler closed in on Iverson's flank, with the result that, in Iver- 
son's command, 455 were killed and wounded, 1,000 taken 
prisoners and three stands of colors were lost. Ramseur moved 
to the support of O'Neal and Iverson, but only to have his 
brigade punished severely, and to be driven back, along with 
what was left of Iverson's and O'Neal's brigades. Daniel, too 
far away to render assistance to Iverson, moved against Stone's 
two regiments on the Chambersburg Pike, but was also unsuc- 
cessful, and was driven out of the railroad cut, where he had 
effected a lodgment, and from where he had fired many murder- 
ous volleys iuto Dana's and Dwight's regiments before they 
turned pursuers. In the counter-charge made by Stone's troops, 
Dwight took many of Daniel's men prisoners. 

Daniel, driven from the front of Dana and Dwight, moved 
to his right, for the purpose of driving them from the pike by a 
flank attack, and Ramseur moved for the frontal attack, leaving 
Iverson and O'Neal to battle with Baxter, Paul and Cutler ; 
Ramseur at times, as opportunity offered, joining in the attack 
upon Cutler. Daniel crossed the railroad on grade at the western 
end of the cut, and reached the pike, but was met by Stone's 
other regiment, the 150th P. V., which had changed front forward 
and moved to the north to meet Daniel, leaving, for the time- 
being, its designated position facing to the west in anticipation 
of the attack to be made upon our lines by Hill's corps. Dan- 
iel's men fought desperately, and held their ground until the 
two sides crossed arms, and until the Confederates were almost 
clubbed back across the railroad. Not deterred, Daniel made 
two other assaults, but each time was met by the 150th P. V., 
once again the entire regiment which again changed front for- 
ward, and once when attacks made upon its position simulta- 
neously from front and from flank, rendered it impossible to 
spare more than its right wing to look after Daniel. 

8 



By half- past one o'clock, the Confederates west of Wil- 
loughby Run were ready to renew their attack upon Doubledaj^. 
Heth's and Pender's large divisions had come up, and in plain 
sight, had been arranged in triple line from the Hagerstown 
Road on their right to the railroad cut on their left. In the 
front line were the four brigades of Heth ; behind that, came 
Pender's troops ; and back of these were troops massed, for the 
reserve. These were waiting for the order to advance, which 
came to Heth (who was charged with the attack), upon seeing 
Daniel already engaged with the 150th P. V., and in position to 
cooperate in the combined effort to force the Union line. Heth's 
first charge in the afternoon was general, and made with great 
force, but the fresh troops of Biddle and of Stone, the Iron 
Brigade protected in the woods and Gamble's cavalry on the 
extreme left, could not be dislodged, and the enemy fell back 
discomfited. Heth assaulted the Federal line, without success, 
a second and a third time, but with such vigor, that Doubleday 
had to send the 151st P. V., which had been placed in reserve 
near the seminary, forward to strengthen Biddle (to whose 
brigade it belonged), who had been about to be overwhelmed by 
the superior numbers of the enemy. 

For two hours, Heth's four brigades, the two of Daniel and 
Ramseur and the remnants of Iverson's and O'Neal's brigades 
persistently attacked the Federal troops in their respective fronts 
and were repulsed. 

At half past three, by the retreat of the nth Corps, Robin- 
son's division became isolated and was obliged to fall back upon 
the woods occupied by Cutler, where, with Cutler's men, it 
fought for another half hour. About the same time, or, possi- 
bly a little later, the exhausted and discouraged troops of Heth, 
across Willoughby Run, were replaced by Pender's fresh division. 

At four o'clock, the three brigades which Pender had pushed 
to the front, attacked. On the left was Scales, who attempted to 
demolish Meredith and Stone, but who fell back in disorder, 
with Pender and Scales both wounded. On Pender's far right, 
out near the Hagerstown Road, Lane encountered Gamble's 
cavalry, and made no headway. Perrin, however, pushed in 
between Gamble and Meredith, and overpowering Biddle, forced 
him back to the seminary. The Iron Brigade in the woods thus 
became exposed and commenced to retire, leaving Stone, threat- 

9 



ened again b}' Scales, in a dangerous position. Seeing Perrin 
again advancing, and about to strike Meredith and Stone on the 
flank, Scales's men took courage and moved for another attack, 
but not with alertness, which gave Stone's brigade, now under 
its third commander, Dana, — for Stone had been wounded early 
in the day and lay in the McPherson barn with a bullet hole 
through his hip, and Wister had been wounded, and captured as 
the enemy pressed closely upon his rear, — an opportunity to fall 
back to Seminary Ridge, and escape both Perrin and Scales, who 
had the bucktails, in their tardj^ retreat, almost surrounded. 

The good stand made by Robinson and Cutler at their posi- 
tion north of the railroad, and by Biddle at the seminary, where 
his men hastily threw up breastworks out of fence-rails, gave 
Doubleday an opportunity to organize his artillery and retiring 
infantry for a last resistance, and for another movement to the 
farther rear in some kind of order. General Howard reports 
that his order to Doubleday to retire to Cemetery Hill was dated 
4 P. M., and that Coster's brigade of Stein wehr's division was 
moved from the hill down to the town, to protect the exhausted 
troops, which were slowly wending their way to Cemetery Hill, 
from capture by the pursuing and exulting foe, now ten times 
their number. 

The disposition of the three divisions of the nth Corps, — 
two on the field of battle, and one in reserve on Cemetery Hill, — 
was the work of a skillful, highly-trained soldier, and in speak- 
ing of the masterly effort of General Howard in handling the 
troops on their retreat and until Hancock arrived at Cemetery 
Hill and assumed command, Comte de Paris uses the expressions 
" feats of valor " and " prodigies of valor." 

The melee in Gettysburg was a notable episode of a remarka- 
ble day. By four o'clock the nth Corps had been pressed into 
the town closely pursued by Ewell, and half an hour later, the 
I St Corps men commenced coming in from the west, also hard 
pressed by Hill. By this time, the churches and the halls were 
filled with the disabled and wounded, and dying, men lay on the 
streets and sidewalks. Over these latter, and into the bewildered, 
retreating throng, there was sharp firing from every quarter, but 
there was no panic, — no rout. Remnants of regiments driven 
around this corner and that corner, kept by their colors the best 
they could, and then fell back to Cemetery Hill, with the loss to 

lo 



the I St Corps of only one gun (whose four horses had been shot 
down at the edge of the town), and without the loss of a color, 
except that of the 150th P. V., whose three field officers had 
been disabled, and which was then almost without company 
officers. The capture of this flag was considered a great event, 
and of sufficient importance to warrant its presentation to Jeffer- 
son Davis, among whose baggage it was found when that per- 
sonage was captured after Appomattox. No blame was ever 
attached to the regiment for the loss of its flag, for, as Comte de 
Paris says, Stone's brigade was the last one to enter the town, 
and barely escaped capture, at the McPherson barn, by Perrin, 
who was maneuvering to cut it off after it had lost protection on 
its flanks by the retreat of other troops. 

In the retreat of 5000 men there was necessarily some con- 
fusion, and tired soldiers who fell behind their commands and 
lost their way, and squads of men and parts of regiments who 
were suddenly confronted by an unexpected enemy, sought ref- 
uge in the town, and added to the turmoil already existing there. 
The retreat, as a whole, was, however, made in good order, and was 
so well conducted as to enable Howard, with the timely arrival 
of the advance of Slocum's corpc on Gulp's Hill, and of Sickles's 
corps on the left, to occupy Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill so 
strongly as to deter the eager foe from storming them that even- 
ing, although two hours of daylight still remained. Between 
the field of battle and Cemetery Hill, the enemy took 2500 
prisoners. 

The field returns of June 30th show the ist Corps to have 
numbered 9,403 officers and men, and the nth Corps 9,197. 
With proper allowance for men in the rear with the supply 
trains, etc., etc., it is probable that Doubleday's ist Corps had 
8,500 officers and men in action on July ist, and the nth Corps 
(less Steinwehr's reserve division. Coster's brigade of which, at 
the end of the day, suffered great loss in protecting the retreat 
of the Federal troops which had been at the front,) 5,500. The 
losses of the ist Corps were 3,587 killed and wounded, and 2, 173 
missing, but it inflicted upon the enemy in its front, a loss of 
4,926 killed and wounded, and 1,717 missing. The nth Corps 
had 1,768 killed and wounded, and 1,427 missing, and the enemy 
in its front lost 853 killed and wounded, and 121 missing. Of 
course many of the "missing" joined their commands during 
the following night. 



II 



At Balaklava the L,ight Brigade lost 37 per ceut. of its men, 
and at Inkerman the Guards lost 45 per cent., and both go 
down in history, in verse and prose, as having been annihilated. 
At Gettysburg, on July ist, 



The 16th Maine 


. lost 84 per 


cent 


The 150th Penna. . 




lost 6() per cent 


The2iid Wisconsin 


. " 77 




The 107th Penna. . 




" 65 


The 149th Penna. . 


" 74 




The 75th Penna.* . 




" 63 


The 24th Michigan 


" 73 




The 142nd Penna. . 




" 62 


The 151st Penna. . 


" 71 




The76lhN.Y. . 




" 62 


The 147th N. Y. 


" 70 




The 157th N. Y.* . 




" 61 


The 107th N. Y. 


" 70 




*In the 11th Coi 


ps. 





In the 150th Pennsylvania, out of 17 officers who went into 
action, only one escaped death, wounding or capture. 

Among the officers wounded on July ist, were Generals 
Doubleday, Meredith, and Paul, and Colonels Morrow, Stone, 
Wister, Fairchild, Dudley, Biddle, Root, Tilden, Leonard, 
Coulter, McFarland and Huidekoper. Among the killed were 
General Reynolds and Colonel Cummins. 

To the able and skillful generalship and the superb staying 
qualities of Major General Doubleday is largely due the praise 
the ist Corps is entitled to for the fight it made at Gettysburg on 
the ist day of July, 1863. The captures made at Gettysburg 
were mostly by the ist Corps. The First Division captured 
Archer; the Second Division captured Iverson; and the Third 
Division (Stannard's brigade) on July 3rd, took as prisoners 
1,500 of Pickett's men. The habitual confidence of Reynolds in 
Doubleday had not been misplaced. 



Thus ends The Short Story of the First Day's Fight. Abler 
pens will give the stories of the other days, but no more valiant 
deeds, or more persistent or grander fighting, can be told of any 
troops, on any day, in any battle; but we only did our duty, as 
American soldiers always will, so long as patriotism and freedom 
are the watchwords which stimulate their heroism. 



12 




COLONEL H. S. HUIDEKOPER, 

150TH PA. VOL., 

1864. 



J 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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